Leaking gear oil from passenger cv

Seem to be leaking diff fluid from cv?

 

Ehh, it doesn’t look very wet to me. Are there actual drips that accumulate?
I have yet to replace my CV seal on the passenger side as I must have bumped it replacing my CVs and it’s been leaking for the past year. Drops accumulate and I’ve just topped it off every couple months. It usually only takes one or two pumps and it’s back to full. Nothing major, I am planning to replace both side here soon though as I can’t trust it on a long trip like that. I’ve barely driven the truck as well for the past 8 months. But based off your pics I would say you don’t seem to be really losing much at all. Maybe just pop the fill plug off and give it a pump and see if it is low or now. I would doubt it would take more than a pump or two to get her back full unless it’s been leaking a long time without notice

 

Are you sure its not dropping from above:? I had a leak I was sure was the CV, it turned out to be the oil pressure sender.

 

There was a drop hanging under the cv and smellled like gear oil

 

Ah ok, thats pretty telltale. I'd probably just watch and wait, but I'm sure there's a youtube video on fixing it (I haven't had to touch mine yet..)

 

Is it the seal on the cv axle? Or seal in the diff?

 

It is a seal in the diff. It seals the outer part of the CV to the diff so no fluid leaks out of the diff. It’s the rubber seal you see in the pic below just on the outside.
That is your diff where the cv goes in.

 

Do I need a special tool? And part number?

 

I would suggest watching Tim’s vid. He’s got the info your looking for along with a very good tutorial https://youtu.be/vcCT4UgFUTw
Just skip past the CV boot part, but I would suggest replacing your CVs with NAPA since you will have them out. Napa has a lifetime warranty on them and you can replace them if anything happens, from a torn boot or if you break it Offroad. I can’t remember if it’s extra or not but it’s definitely worth it. Kinda like a buy once cry once thing

 

i noticed that i could pull the cv out just a hair is that normal? the round gold part on the cv looks like it should not do that

 

is it the axle shaft oil seal?

 

Yes, that's normal. There's a little in and out movement with the connection of the CV axle with the front differential. I agree that your leak doesn't look that bad. But, if you want to address it, you can use the video that was linked above and then use the video below to replace the seal.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mh1BK5--KrU

 

I watch so many of your videos that my girlfriend literally knows your voice. “What Timmy video you watching now?” She asks from the other room.

 

As long as She has not started to play the videos when your sleeping

 

I just popped the old one out with a screwdriver, drove the new one in with the CV axle itself. Worked like a charm.

 

I know this is 2 years old, but my 99 just started having this problem. Small leak under the passenger CV where it joins with the diff. Thought it could be the steering pump I just replaced, but the fluid isn't red and smells pretty bad, like used gear oil. Oil slowly accumulates and forms droplets under the skid.

I also am able to move the passenger CV in and out of the diff more than the driver CV. Is this normal?

Any helpful tips from anyone who was in this conversation or the OP? I drive my truck maybe once a week, and maybe a total of 20-25 miles max/week
(not a daily).

Thanks guys.

 

I just want to say, 3 years later, this was not a good way to do the CV axle seal lol. It started leaking badly again not long after and I had to redo it the proper way (seating it at the proper depth) a couple times before it finally stopped leaking

 

Thanks, would you say its an urgent problem if its not leaking too bad like @Ccrowe323 said, and would you suggest doing the way timmy does in his video? (Haven't watched yet)

 

Yeah if I recall he uses a section of pvc pipe to seat the seal in, I believe it has to go in 5.5mm but double check that.

I don't think it's an urgent issue unless it's puking fluid out, a few drips here and there won't hurt anything except the stains it leaves on the driveway. Can always top off the diff once in awhile to make sure it stays full